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America in 2017 may have a society flush with differences and a weird ex-reality TV star as president but the one thing we all have in common is that good rock and roll is not far away. Walk into just about any small town on a Friday night and you have a good chance of catching a really incredible group of musicians playing the songs that have resonance in the souls of those mingling about.

I can’t even count the amount of times that I have been in some small town somewhere in this beautiful country that I am lucky to call home and come across some seasoned musician who has learned the language of classic American rock and roll. It is soon clear that they could be in the spot light on anyone of the epic concert venues available for those who have made it to the next stage of their musical adventures.

I used to wonder why some bands make it to the big time where hired crews drive them around and haul, plus tune their gear. I once pondered why some people sit on their couches at home and pay good money to watch certain types of bands. I am still somewhat curious why there are certain bands that cause people to consume vast quantities of drugs and be confident that the experience they have will be nothing less than epic.

Well, on that last note, there are plenty of people who go out each and every Friday night and get wasted to the local classic rock wailing band and all its nostalgia. What I really mean is that there are musicians all across this land that can play with the best of them and are extremely happy and humble with exactly where they are.

America is full of these talented pickers, shredders and thinkers. The whole world is full of these people. This is ultimately what led me to do this podcast. I am fascinated by the power of music. I am inspired by bands that get together and really work hard to create an experience with the audience in mind.

The best bands treat the audience like a member of the band. The greatest musicians, and its potentially more powerful when you get a group of them together, seek to understand the crowd they are playing to.

The best shows I have ever seen are the ones where the band transforms and adapts to the ecosystem they are apart of. If you look and listen close, this transformation and adaptation to the venue and audience is very clear to see and hear.

When you boil it all down, it turns into one thing. Soul. The bands with soul, make it big. And, when I say soul, I don’t say it lightly. Having soul is not something you can just turn on and off. It is a state of being. Having soul is not something you can teach or learn. It happens organically. It is obvious when it happens. You can not forecast it and it is impossible to create. Soul happens. The power to create it runs deep lines into the inner workings of ancient life. The soul of bands is what the crowd feeds off of. Without soul, even the best music mine as well be wind in the willows.

The Electric Fuzz Band, who I stumbled upon, has this soul. It is clear as a spring fed pond on a bluebird day as you listen to a live recording of this band. I immediately fell in love with the heart and soul that this band was clearly pouring into each and every song derived from the multiple live shows I picked from. The band consists of Ryan Russell on electric guitar/vocals, Jay Morgan on electric guitar/vocals, Derek Givans on drums/vocals and Cory Potrafka on bass. They are tight, groovy and full of soul.

For this podcast, as I do with all my podcasts, I dug through multiple shows and specifically picked out performances that were recorded well and chose songs that I felt highlighted the strengths of the band. With the recent passing of Greg Allman, I included a couple Allman Brothers tunes that they play amazingly well.

Every band has their strengths and weaknesses. But if they have soul, they can carry any heart beating listener to the place they want them to be. Good musicians are captains of a very important ship. A ship that they will go down with if necessary.